SPD chief suspended for two weeks without pay

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Starkville Police Chief Frank Nichols has been suspended for two weeks, without pay, following an executive session vote by Starkville's Board of Aldermen on Monday afternoon.

Nichols' suspension is effective immediately. Aldermen also placed him on probation for six months and named SPD Capt. Troy Outlaw interim police chief while Nichols serves his suspension.

Officials have so far declined to comment on the reason for Nichols' suspension, but two city officials pointed to an incident that occurred over the weekend.

The Dispatch has submitted a public records requests for incident reports from the weekend.

The sole item on the agenda for the board's special-call meeting Monday was an executive session discussion of a personnel matter.

The board voted to go into executive session to discuss the "job performance, character and professional competence" of a Starkville Police Department employee as the meeting began. Aldermen remained in executive session for about one hour, fifteen minutes.

Every alderman but Ward 1's Ben Carver was present at Monday's special called meeting. It's also currently unclear how each alderman voted. That detail will become available when the meeting's minutes are approved by the board.

Nichols was named Starkville's Police Chief in February 2014. He's worked with SPD since 1992.